A MidSemester's Day Dream
by Aijou829
Summary: Ichigo's substitute shinigami duties have been taking a toll on him. Waking up at odd hours of the night to chase down hollows in defense of Karakura town doesn't pay as well as one would hope.
1. A Hero's Plight

**A Mid-Semester's Day Dream**

**I know some of you were looking forward to this one so I thought I'd give you the first chapter to chew on. Be sure to let me know what you thing when you're done reading. I only live to serve.**

**Story:**

**Ichigo's substitute shinigami duties have been taking a toll on him. Waking up at odd hours of the night to chase down hollows in defense of Karakura town doesn't pay as well as one would hope. Being a high school student hero isn't all it's cracked-up to be.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the beloved Bleach series nor the fantastical Shakespearean play to which the tale alludes itself.**

_**BREAK**_

**_Hollow, hollow, hollow_**...

_Damn. _Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, an orange haired youth sprung from the comfort of his mattress. Searching blindly in the dark, he grabbed the squawking badge from his desk and pressed it to his chest without hesitation. Leaving his body behind unceremoniously, he jumped through the bedside window. He relaxed for a moment to better sense the monster afoot, and then took off like a bat out of hell. Racing through the night at a pace few could rival, the youth cut down the souls who dared to disturb the peace of a modest town called Karakura. It seemed as one monster wailed it's last breath, another would appear to take its place. This did not phase him the slightest bit. He knew his duty was to protect the innocent people of his town and no creature would convince him otherwise. The night continued in this endless line of hollows until moments before sunrise. Returning wearily to his body, the young substitute shinigami flopped down heavily. The grace with which he scoured the shadows of the night forgotten as the bold warrior reclaimed his slumber.

**BREAK**

"-"

_Huh?_

"-"

_Grrrrrr!_

"!"

Whack, thud.

"The hell! Why the fuck can't I get any sleep old man!" An irritated teen lowered his foot, shouting profanities at the grown man laying haphazardly by his feet. "Who the hell wakes up their son with a surprise attack!"

"That's my boy~!" Came the man's muffled reply. "You make daddy so proud~!-Ooff!"

Kicking him for good measure, the youth stepped over his deranged father. "Whatever, just get the hell out of my room!" Scowling the young man scratched his bedhead mop of orange hair while glancing at his alarm clock. _Just fucking great. I get what? Two hours of sleep at best, and on top of all that my psycho dad tries to murder me at the crack of dawn. Tsk, asshole._

Skipping breakfast in favor of avoiding another ambush, the youth arrived to school early. _I really want to go back to sleep but... _An idea popped into his head and he made a beeline toward the stairs. _The roof. If I fall asleep there before class, no one will see me. _Pushing open the door he surveyed the area to be sure he was alone. Satisfied with the empty space before him, he walked out to the center to lay down and nap before any of his classmates showed up. _Perfect I have a good hour before anyone arrives, and another half-hour before the bell rings. Then I'll just..._He drifted off before his thought even finished.

It hardly seemed that he had fallen asleep when a cheerful voice broke his rest.

"Ohayo Kurosaki-kun." Opening his eyes he noticed a figure hovering above him and obscuring the sun. As his eyes adjusted, he noted the auburn hair secured by blue pins, and large gray eyes surveying his person. "Ano, are you feeling unwell Kurosaki-kun?" The young beauty placed a small hand on his permanently folded brow.

Sitting up slowly he noted the cool and smooth texture of her palms before it slid away to press against her own forehead. Her face contorted into a comical expression while she gauged whether or not there was any difference between their heads. "Ano I'm not sure if-" She stopped mid sentence when he grabbed her hand before it could reach his own brow once again.

"Arigato, Inoue." A blush tinted her pale skin. "I'm fine." He said dropping her hand and raising to his full height. "I'm just tired. The hollow attacks seem to be coming more frequently." He dusted himself off before bending down to collect his back-pack and offering her his hand.

Taking his offer she marveled at his strength and the harsh rub of the callouses upon his palm. Looking away from his hand she caught his dark brown eyes embedded into his signature grimace. She ducked her head swiftly to avoid the intensity of his gaze and began to babble wildly. "I'm glad to hear that you're okay Kurosaki-kun! I was worried that the little blue-men..."

He tuned out her rambling, still a bit too tired to maintain much focus on anything and silently studied her. He noticed the gleam of sunlight upon her hair and the fluidity of it's movement while the wind encouraged it to dance. His eyes were suddenly caught by the quick blur of her hands as they elaborated on her tale.

His battle trained vision followed their wide arc and vibrant gestures with hardly any difficulty. At one point they passed by her face and he couldn't help but admire the plump peach-toned lips vibrating so swiftly to convey her wild thoughts. Then he returned his gaze to her eyes which seemed to be examining another world that his eyes could not visualize.

"...with out any gangsters-"

"Inoue." He cut her short and attempted to give an encouraging smile. "We should go." Adjusting the strap across his shoulder he turned for the door.

"R-right!" A blush swept across her features once more while she rushed to keep up with his long strides.

**BREAK**

"Settle down class, I have an announcement to make." The teacher's command was unheard and the class continued to chatter and fidget as adolescents often do.

"I said SETTLEDOWN!" She barked out and the students obeyed. "That's better." She commented while shifting her glasses. "Now as I'm sure you all know, next week-end is the annual Shakespeare Festival. Some of your fellow classmates will be participating in the play this year. I have promised them extra-credit for their participation and in all fairness to the rest of the class I will offer you the same opportunity."

She turned to the board and began to list the time, date, and location of the event for the interested few. I myself will be at the festival working backstage. Anyone who wishes to receive extra credit must come meet me there after the show and sign your name in this notebook-" She raised a black and white spiral notebook. " to receive extra credit."

Some of the class was listening carefully and copying the information on the board while others began to giggle and talk or dose off. Ichigo was one of those sleeping.

"I'm putting you all on the honor system. I expect you all to stay for the whole play and not just show up at the end. I encourage you all to support the festival and walk around for a little-bit. And absolutely no writing down names of friends who didn't attend. Understood?"

The class nodded and murmured in unison before she continued. "Good. That being said, in honor of this year's festival we will be reading Shakespeare's A Mid-Summer Night's Dream. Hopefully going over it in class will help you have some idea of what is going on in the play."

A few moans of pure teen-aged agony floated over the class while the books were being passed out. A stern warning against damaging or vandalizing school property was given though some present had already begun to doodle on the front cover.

**BREAK**

Several young companions gathered on the roof top to share a meal. Conversations fluttered about the group sometimes between two members and sometimes involving the whole assembly.

"What about you Tatsuki-chan? Are you excited for the festival?"

"Yeah I guess. It should be alright." The young fighter took a bite of her sandwich. "I'm supposed to hold up the lantern at the end of the play."

"Oh Tatsuki-chan! You're in the play? Why didn't you tell me! This is so exciting! I'll bring my camera and take pictures and bring you roses for after the performance and I'll make sure to clap extra loud when you come out to bow!"

"Don't over do it Orihime. Just knowing that you'll be there is enough." She patted the young healer on the back in gratitude.

"Oh no Tatsuki-chan! This is a momentous occasion! We should celebrate your success as an actress! Oh I know! We can throw you a surprise party for you great achievement!" The red head swiftly slapped her hands over her mouth before continuing in panic. "Oh no! You weren't supposed to know about the party! It was supposed to be a surprise!"

By this point in their interaction, Orihime had unknowingly garnered the attention of the whole group. Her loud cheerful voice and flailing arms made it hard to ignore her. The last part rang loud and clear around the group of friends and they all laughed heartily at her silly behavior.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the surprise." She said sincerely.

"Don't worry." Tatsuki slapped a hand onto her shoulder for reassurance. "You can just throw me one for my birthday." She commented with a big smile.

"Ah, you know about that one too! I must be a terrible friend." She dropped her head in woe but the rest of her friends couldn't keep from laughing again. A smile took over her face when she looked around to see all of her dearest friends enjoying themselves so completely. When her gaze landed on Ichigo though, a worried look took over.

She moved closer to the resting adolecent and tapped lightly on his shoulder. He remained still and she contemplated leaving him as he was.

_Kurosaki-kun was sleeping this morning too. He must be so tired from fighting so many hollows. If only I were stronger, then I could fight too... Maybe it would be just to just let him sleep...but he hasn't touched his lunch. What if he has to go back to class hungry?_

The first person to stop laughing was Tatsuki and upon seeing her friend hunched over Ichigo, she voiced her concern. "Eh? What's wrong with Kurosaki?"

"Ano, I found him asleep earlier this morning too. He said that there have been a lot of hollow attacks lately."

"He slept through the lecture today." Sado added.

Keigo wailed, not one for being left out of the conversation. " I never get to sleep in class~! I'd just get a detention~! Why does Ichigo get away with everything~!"

"Because you dolt-" Tatsuki set him straight with a swift hit to the head. "he's been dragged out of bed every night this week to fight monsters. What do you do at night?"

His eyes shot open wide and a blush covered his face as a hand shot up to the back of his head. "I uh- well nothing of course- I mean, I go right to bed- lights out!"

"Ugh, sorry I asked." Tatsuki as well as Mizuro who was sitting on the other side scooted a bit further from the boy. He began to wail again.

Orihime ignored the rest of the conversation and looked at her orange-haired hero.

_I thought people were supposed to look peaceful when they slept...He looks so tired. I wish there was something I could do..._

**BREAK**

With five minutes left of lunch Ichigo woke up and scarfed down his lunch in record time. A sound kick in the head from Tatsuki as well as a short lecture on how eating too fast is bad for you marked the end of lunch period. The group made their way back to class and banter about the much anticipated festival accompanied their walk.

"Yes, I'll be doing all the costuming for the play and I've done some research to make sure that all the costumes are authentic."

"Oh that's great Ishida-kun! It's wonderful that you put so much effort into your work!" Orihime turned to speak with the gentle giant next. "And what was it that you said you'd be doing Sado-kun?"

"I'm going to be a wall."

"A wall? Wow! You must be really good if they think you can portray a wall. You'd have to stand really still the whole play. You can't even sneeze or scratch your nose or else the audience will know that you're not a wall! I didn't even know that plays had parts like that. To think all this time I thought the scenery was just made of cardboard and paint! That's amazing, actors are so talented!"

Ichigo snorted and a smile broke through for a moment. "Those were cardboard and paint Inoue."

"Huh?"

"In A Mid-Summer Night's Dream, the character's put on a play and one of them is supposed to pretend he's a wall that two lovers talk through. It's supposed to be comical."

As they entered the class room and moved toward their seats, Ichigo glanced over his shoulder at the buxom beauty and smiled again at her confused face.

"But aren't they already doing a play?" She asked.

"Yes. It's a play within a play. That's what makes it funny." He shrugged and sat down. "Shakespeare was making fun of himself and actors in general. He was portraying the behind-the-scene stuff in the scene."

He could see the gears still turning in her head but could tell she was starting to understand. "So it's a play about putting on a play?"

"No, it's a play about how stupid people who fall in love can be." He didn't notice the blush she wore as it spread over her smooth complexion. "but during it, they pretend they are putting on another play as a part of the play they are already doing."

She slowly sat down too, still working it out like a math problem. "You sure seem to know a lot about plays Kurosaki-kun." She smiled sweetly toward him.

He blushed realizing his slip up. "Eh, I've read it before." He was saved by the teacher's entrance before he could do any more damage to his own reputation.

_Damn. I need to get some sleep. I'm not thinking straight anymore._

He ran a hand through his hair and looked forward trying to pay a little more attention to this lesson than the last.

A row over and a few seats back, a blue hairpin sparkled in the light as it's owner bowed her head to think. _How stupid people who fall in love can be...Oh, I'm such a fool..._

The young girl dropped her head onto her folded arms. The shadowed eyes of a stranger watched her grief beyond the window pane and smirked when an amusing idea came to mind. _After all, who doesn't like the classics?_

The student's of Karakura High sat quietly in their seats while the teacher droned on about the intricacies of the algebraic formula. Pencils scrapped across paper as most of the students attempted to do the problems listed on the board. Others focused their attention on less academic ideas for the remainder of the day.

Little did they know, things in their little town were about to get a lot more interesting.

**BREAK**

**Can you guess who our mysterious guest is?**

**Comment. Review.**

**Best,**

**Aijou**


	2. A Warry Feeling

**A Mid-Semester's Day Dream**

**First of all I would like to thank the kind reviewers for their time and opinions.**

**Mrs Myth**

**-Bingo! Good job. I just love how sneaky that lil' bastard is. It warms my heart.**

**Ithnan **

**-Nope, but creative. I like that.**

**Turtle-chan666**

**-Thank you. I'm happy that you're happy.**

**NinaSkylove **

**-Well I hope you continue to feel that way. I have some really trippy ideas for this story.**

**Llyza**

**-You were Puck! That's my DREAM. I am so jealous. **

**Nypsy**

**-Great guesses. My traveling was great btw and I'm glad that you like both of my stories.**

**Hyou no joo**

**-Thank you, I hope to keep you enthralled.**

**Hikari-hime**

**-Yes ma'am**

**EmpKaylenatye**

**-Thanks. I feel that usually the beginning of a story is the hardest to read so I put a lot of work into making it worthwhile.**

**ooOOOoo**

**I recently saw "The** **Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus" and it has inspired me a great deal so the story is going to be taking a different direction than I had originally intended.**

**Story:**

**Ichigo's substitute shinigami duties have been taking a toll on him. Waking up at odd hours of the night to chase down hollows in defense of Karakura town doesn't pay as well as one would hope. Being a high school student hero isn't all it's cracked-up to be.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the beloved Bleach series nor the fantastical Shakespearean play to which the tale alludes itself. Or any other ideas and entities involved in this story.**

**

* * *

**

"I can't believe I have to spend half of the play wearing a stupid donkey helmet~! This is so lame~! No one will see my beautiful face~!" The band of friends did their best to ignore the wailing of the eccentric member of their group as they left the school yard.

"I'll see you guys later. I have practice today." Tatsuki lifted her hand in farewell as she departed.

Orihime lifted her arm high above her head to wave and called her good-byes after the young fighter. The others began to go their separate way, parting with few words. "Come on Inoue." She stopped waving and looked toward the gruff voice beside her. "I'll walk you home." The last line was followed promptly by a yawn before the Orange haired shinigami turned and walked on.

"Eh, Kurosaki-kun! Y-you don't have to-" She was still feeling a bit self-conscious from his earlier comment and her heart began to speed up at the thought of being alone with him.

"Tsk, don't be stupid." That word struck her like a hand to the face. "Why would I let you walk home alone. Tatsuki asked me to earlier anyway." She sighed. Of course she had asked. Why else would he want to spend time with her.

They walked together toward her apartment leisurely under the bright spring sun. Ichigo didn't say much but that wasn't unusual. However, Orihime not talking was. "Oi, Inoue." He turned to look at the girl beside him. She was all red hair and gray eyes. She was all curves too but he tried to ignore that most of the time.

"H-hai?"

"Is...something wrong?" He never was much for words.

"Eh? No no no! Nothing wrong at all! I was just thinking about whether I wanted red-beanpaste or wasabi on my ramen when I get home heh heh!" He grimaced at the odd concoction she provided. Normally he wouldn't have believed her excuse but a timely grumble sounded just then.

Shocked and terribly mortified she wrapped her arms around her "rude tummy" or so he thought he heard her mumble. Then she snapped her head back up with another large smile and a laugh.

He still wasn't sure if that was an acceptable answer but he was tired and she didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it anyway. He nodded, not once in the whole exchange having changed his pace.

Once he looked away she dropped her head again. Despite looking so intently at her shoes, she managed to catch the curb with her toe and flew forward into on-coming traffic. Her heart stopped. The world seemed to be slowing down to a snail's pace. As her hair wafted behind her and her arms flailed before her she noticed the bright red convertible shiny and new. It was racing toward her at a rate well over the speed limit. She could tell that I would hit her before she could even touch the ground.

In a heart beat, the iron clasp of a steady hand had wrapped around her slim arm and yanked her back to her feet. Two seconds later she remained shocked as a blur of red crossed her vision. She turned to see Ichigo glaring at her. She was taken aback at the next thing that happened. He snapped.

"What the hell do you think you were doing? Do you realize you could have been killed? That car would have obliterated you!"

Her eyes began to tear up and she could feel the grip on her arm become tighter. "Stop daydreaming and pay attention or you'll end up dead!"

The moment those words left his mouth he regretted it. He had not meant to upset her or even yell, but he was genuinely terrified of what he had almost witnessed. Beyond that he was tired. So unbelievably tired. It was the hours of grueling training and battles which had provided the instinct in him which saved her life.

What was worse...upon grabbing her arm his knuckles had brushed against something soft and pleasing. He had felt just a hint of her remarkable breasts as his hand rushed to grab at her. The curves that he spent every day trying to ignore were so close to his hands but he knew that they were not his to touch. Ashamed, disappointed and very much worried about her safety, he had unleashed the stress and fatigue of the past month...on her.

He saw those tears in her eyes and he broke inside. At the chime of the crosswalk Ichigo dropped her arm like it burnt and lowered his head to shadow his eyes. "Let's go." His voice was low but she heard it and followed.

The quiet before was nothing compared to this. He should have apologized but it seemed too late now and he didn't know what to say. _How bout "I'm sorry" idiot!_

He shook his head. He knew that Orihime liked him but he also knew that he wasn't good enough for her. If all the comments about it before from Tatsuki, Chizuru and even at one point Shinji had not made it clear, his little outburst just now did. He was no better than the monster inside of him and a creature like him could never live up to the love of a goddess.

Suddenly they were standing before the stairs to her home. He had been thinking of what he should say and despite the awkward air about them he was aware that this was his last chance to make things right.

"Inoue I-" His head snapped up to look at the building they stood before. Ichigo turned back to the girl beside him and realized that she had noticed too.

Even under their own personal rain clouds they could sense the presence of a familiar reitsu coming from her apartment. What it was doing here though seemed suspicious to the substitute shinigami.

Ichigo took the stairs two at a time and Orihime stumbled trying to keep up with him. At the door he motioned for her keys while keeping a hand on the knob. She fumbled in her bag for a minute before finding them and handing them over. He wasted no time inserting the brass object and they listened to the lock tumble.

He opened the door cautiously, holding up a hand behind him stopping Orihime from coming in. With a glance at his surroundings he found the light switch and turned it on. The lights flooded the room and illuminated a shady figure lounging before a small table across the room.

"What are you doing here?" Ichigo's dark tone only managed to bring a smile to the intruder's face. A fan snapped open before his grin as he remarked smartly in response.

"My, my Kurosaki-san. So hostile."

Orihime stepped over the threshold behind the stiff man before her and greeted the unexpected guest with a smile. "Urahara-san, would you like some tea?" She watched as Ichigo tensed visibly and cringed.

"That would be lovely Orihime-chan!" She nodded and moved to pass Ichigo but he side-stepped to block her path.

"What are you doing here? If there were any hollows around, my badge would have let me know."

"True, true Kurosaki-san. I've come to warn you about something more dangerous than hollows." Ichigo reached around the girl behind him to close the door with out taking his eyes off of the man. He moved further into the room.

"What could be more dangerous than hollows Urahara-san?" Orihime took the opportunity to pass Ichigo and settle down at the table across from the shady guest.

His sly smirk shifted into a cheesy grin as he addressed the young lady before him. "Why I'm glad you asked Orihime-chan!"

Ichigo stiffly lowered himself beside the young beauty to listen.

"You see there has been a disturbance in the Seireitei. Just last week a rouge upstart shinigami started a riot and took a few of his comrades with him to this world." Orihime had leaned so far forward, eager to hear the tale that she lost her balance and fell forward. Ichigo sighed and yanked her back to her haunches by the collar of her uniform before she could smack her face on the table.

"Alright, so what the hell was all the commotion about and why are you telling the two of us? Why can't all those damn captains deal with it?"

"Well they found out that this was not a spontaneous outbreak. Apparently this fellow has been plotting to revolt for quite sometime and has built a small following in order to see his plans through." By this point the shopkeeper had adopted a more serious tone. From the corner of his eye Ichigo wondered if the young girl to his left could feel her legs now since she had been squeezing them so hard with her small hands.

"Then what happened?" The redheaded beauty blurted out. He tried not to laugh at her child-like innocence. He couldn't help but marvel at the bright shine of her eyes full of awe and wonder.

Urahara did not miss the boy's appraisal of the slender woman at his side. He smirked with satisfaction. "Orihime-chan, I'm afraid that I'm rather parched at the moment..."

She gasped and jumped to her feet. "Oh! Your tea! Forgive me for being so rude!" Ichigo watched her bow deeply and make a mad dash for the kitchen to prepare their beverages.

Urahara continued just loud enough for the young substitute shinigami to hear him over the strange bangs and crashes sounding from the next room. "We think they may be after her..."

Ichigo's head turned back immediately.

"What?" His voice was low but it held a fierceness that could make a grown tremble in fear.

"You're well known in the Seireitei, as are your friends. From his actions and our predictions about what he is after, it seems most likely that he has come here with an intention of using Orihime-chan's powers to realize his...dream." More unnecessary noises floated in form the kitchen.

Ichigo clenched his fist. "Why her? What is he after and how will she make any difference to his success?"

He has a strange power..something that would be well complimented by a person as...imaginative as Orihime-chan."

"Alright." Ichigo rose to his full height and his trademark scowl in place. "I'll just find this bastard and take him out. Where is he?"

The older man shook his head ruefully and taunted the young man with a teasing tone. "So rash Kurosaki-san~! So violent~! That's not how one should behave when escorting a lady.~"

Ichigo glanced at the kitchen entrance when a loud thud and a mumbled "Owwie." drifted to his ears. _"How the hell is she making that damn tea?"_

He returned his attention toward the shopkeeper again. "What exactly do you have in mind?"

"I need you to Bring Orihime-chan to the shop tomorrow. I have a place where she will be save and well out of harm's reach."

Ichigo couldn't help the image popping up of Urahara ushering the young girl, smiling brightly and completely oblivious, into a large box and then slapping on a padlock for good measure before dusting off his hands. "And where is this place? How do you know she will be safe there?"

"Because Kurosaki-san..." Ichigo felt his skin crawl at the devious smirk that stretched across the man's face. " You will be there to see that no harm befalls her."

He opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by a bubbly voice entering the room.

"Tea time!" Orihime hummed a made up melody as she entered carrying a tray.

"I'll explain more tomorrow Kurosaki-san." Standing suddenly and turning toward the door, Urahara made to leave.

Orihime pouted "But, you didn't get any tea? Would you like it to go?"

Ichigo stood as well.

"No thank you Orihime-chan!" Urahara said over his shoulder. "I'm afraid that I'm running very late today. You'll have to forgive me." He exited with a wave of his fan and his trademark grin. "And Ichigo...don't be late."

Ichigo watched silently as the door closed. He pondered the situation. Urahara hadn't given him any real explanation or told him exactly how long this ordeal would last.

Orihime continued to whine at the door for kicking out the friendly shopkeeper before he had a chance to get his tea.

Slowly folding his legs beneath him to rest by the low table his scowl deepened. "Would you like some tea Kurosaki-san?" He looked up to see his beautiful classmate bent over with her hands on her knees and her face a little too close to his own.

Ichigo tried so hard not to blush at their proximity that he forgot to keep from stuttering out a response. "Y-yeah, s-sure." A bright smile drew across her face and he relaxed when she turned away to pour the steaming liquid into their cups.

He accepted the drink he wondered how he was going to be near her for an indefinite period of time after his rude explosion from earlier. _It seems like she's already forgotten but she might just be hiding it like she usually does with that big smile._

As if reading his thoughts, the girl beside him turned and graced him with a large grin before downing the steaming beverage in her hands.

Ichigo smiled back, raising his cup toward her and sipped. Instantly a grimace over took his features before he spit the contents back to where they came from.

"What the hell is in this damn tea?" He hollered. A part of him flinched at the hurt expression on her face, but the rest of him was still horrified at the vile taste which lingered on his tongue.

"W-well I just added some mint..."

"How much mint?" He asked a little more harsh than necessary.

"Only two leaves...Oh! I also added some soy sauce and a bit of ginger..." He watched as she wrung her delicate hands together and attempted to hide her watery eyes from his vision. She let out a shaky breath before adding an apology. "I'm sorry. Tatsuki always tells me that I have really weird taste. I shouldn't have added anything. Everyone always hates the food I make."

By this point her head was bowed low and her shoulders were shrugged up to her ears. Orihime's hands had stopped wrestling but the grip they had on her gray school skirt was so strong that her knuckles were white.

Ichigo swallowed his pride and put on as large and friendly a smile as he could muster and tried not to cringe at his fate. "Don't be silly Inoue."

Long locks of orange whipped about her as she looked up upon hearing his bright tone. Her large gray eyes regarded him with a dumbfounded expression.

"It's great!" He lied.

"It-it is?" She asked, doubtful but he could just make out the faint hopeful not in her question.

He swallowed. "Yeah." The smile still held but he couldn't stop his right eye from twitching.

She was biting her plump lower lip and her eyes seemed to plead with him for acceptance.

_Damn. I guess I owe her this...well, at least my dad's a doctor...though he'd probably let me die because of laughing too hard when he hears how I was poisoned..._

Preparing himself for the hours of heaving he knew he'd face by the toilet later that night, he raised the cup. _Down it fast, in one gulp...like cough syrup...yeah, just like cough syrup._

"Ahhh. Refreshing!" Ichigo managed to hold his smile in place. _I was wrong...cough syrup is way better than this..._

Ichigo almost felt it was worth it when he saw her face light up the way that fireworks do against the dark night sky in the summer heat.

She jumped up with a fist in the air. Ichigo leaned back just in time to avoid being taken out by his petite classmate. "Yosh!" She cheered. "if you like that, then you'll have to try my-" ...almost.

He grabbed her arm before she could get any closer to the kitchen and hurried to change the subject. "Inoue."

The seriousness of his tone caused her to pause. "We need to talk."

"About what Kurosaki-kun." Ichigo was confused for a moment when he saw her cheeks turn red before realizing that he was holding her hand.

Blushing fiercely as well, he let go of her hand with a cough. "Urahara..." She nodded and clasped her hands together before her. "Urahara needs the two of us to go to his shop tomorrow..."

"For what?"

Ichigo debated how much she should know. _I don't want her to be afraid. _Slowly and calmly Orihime lowered herself before the young shinigami to listen. _I don't really know too much anyway...I'll just let him fill her in tomorrow. _

"I'm not sure..."

* * *

**This chapter is a little shorter that intended. I cut it off here because I wanted to post something before I leave again instead of making everyone wait till who-knows-when for another update. I don't know when I will be able to write again so please don't hold your breath...I'm told it leads to brain damage and in extreme cases death.**

**Please leave a review to let me know you were here AND, to anyone willing to help out, if you are good with Japanese please drop me a line because I am not and I need help with it in order to advance the plot with out getting my butt royally flamed.**

**Best,**

**Aijou**


	3. A Dangerous Task

**A Mid-Semester's Day Dream**

**ooOOOoo**

**Story:**

**Ichigo's substitute shinigami duties have been taking a toll on him. Waking up at odd hours of the night to chase down hollows in defense of Karakura town doesn't pay as well as one would hope. Being a high school hero isn't all it's cracked-up to be.**

**Disclaimer: backwards is remialcsid.**

**BREAK**

"Ah, How nice of you to arrive so promptly!" Ichigo yawned widely as he kicked off his shoes and nodded his reply to the shopkeep's greeting.

"Morning Kisuke-san! What was it that you want to tell us?" Orihime smiled brightly as she bounded around the sluggish teen beside her.

"Something you will find most exciting I'm sure." Kisuke drew a dry smile across his lips as he offered the young woman a hand up the stairs. Ichigo meandered behind them down the hallway, part of him wishing that walking slowly would somehow make the supposed danger disappear.

Stopping to open a shoji door, Kisuke's smirk widened and he turned sideways to allow Orihime to enter first. "This way please."

The smug expression disturbed Ichigo. He passed through the door without looking the older man in the eyes then folded long legs beneath himself to rest beside his female friend. Her noticed her restless shifting but did his best to not show any outward signs of noticing. _She must be eager to know what's happening._

"Now," sitting before them, the shopkeep began to explain the situation with caution. "It seems that some very strange events have been taking place around Karakura. In light of some recent news, I think it would be best for the two of you to help me" he struggled to find the appropriate word "resolve the situation."

Ichigo leaned forward in anticipation from the serious tone of the shifty man before them. "What kind of help?" He inquired with a grunt.

"This kind." Banging his elbow on the wall behind him, he revealed a secret door which flew open to expose a spectacular view of seemingly endless paradise. "Sort of leaves you speechless, ne?"

Ichigo snapped his jaw shut and scowled-he hadn't realized it had fallen open in the first place.

Orihime jumped up immediately and went to run for the entry way, eager to explore, when a hand reached out to grab her wrist and haul her roughly back to her spot.

"Owie!" She rubbed her sore behind for a moment before pouting a bit, disappointed at Ichigo's rough gesture. She opened her mouth to ask why he did it but was cut off by his gruff question to the man before them with a low brimmed hat and a fan to cover his soft chuckles.

"What the fuck is that you crazy bastard?" Ichigo glared hotly at their host. This landscape, despite its beauty, brought back some unpleasant memories of another hidden wasteland or two this man had up his sleeve…or in his house.

"Such poor manners you have Kurosaki-kun. There is a lady present after all." Urahara raised his head a bit, showing one gleaming eye to the riled youth.

Ichigo didn't bat an eye, determined not to let the older man get to him, but he did feel the heat rise to his face for a second before solidifying his resolve. "You actually expect us to go in there? For how long?"

Urahara snapped his fan shut abruptly. "That," He paused to draw out the moment as long as he could. "depends on _you_." His tone was light, but his face was dead serious.

Orihime looked back and forth between the two men apprehensively as she readjusted herself to a more appropriate position. Then she looked to see Ichigo cross his arms over his broad chest and was mesmerized for a moment by his strong, lean frame. She turned away for a moment and saw that Urahara's attention had drifted to her.

Ichigo , who had been watching Urahara closely, followed the man's line of sight as it shifted. His eyes slid over to his friend for a moment before stealing back the attention from the shopkeep in a protective manner.

"Did you create it?" _Is it safe?_

"No. I created the portal that you see here connecting us to it."

"Where is this place?" _You want me to bring Inoue here?_

"Hmm." The hum of consideration that Urahara gave before answering cause Ichigo to clench his fists for a moment. "It's not a 'where' so much as a 'what' but like I said, I'm not the one who made it."

"Then who did?" _I'll protect her, no matter what._

The old man laughed to himself a bit. He could easily read each thought in the young man's mind. "This, is a 'shift realm' as I like to call it." He dropped his head a bit to cover his eyes with the brim and continued. "It's somewhat like a dream simulator. It's manipulated by thoughts and imagination."

Ichigo snorted. "That's the most fucking ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say. You want us to go to some 'imagination land' and dream things up? I always thought you were a little nuts, but this one takes you all the way to the ape-shit level of crazy."

"Don't underestimate the power of a creative mind, Kurosaki-san." Ichigo sobered a bit at the ice in his tone. "The foe we are dealing with is rather clever and there is a lot more to an imagination than just rainbows and unicorns. There's a dark side to it all too."

Ichigo nearly swallowed at the implication but managed to hold up a poker face.

"Ano, Urahara-san?" Orihime spoke softly, hesitant to disturb the tension in the air. "This place, it was made by the bad-guy you wanted to tell us about?"

"Yes Orihime-chan." His face softened a bit for her and he forced a bit of warmth into his voice to reassure her. "This realm is what you might think of as a prototype of some sort."

Her brow wrinkled slightly. "Prototype? What do you mean?" Ichigo watched as her head tilted slightly to the side, exposing her slim neck as her hair slid over her shoulder.

"This right here" He said indicating the open expanse behind himself. " is our enemy's talent. He's developed a way to create 'territories' which can be manipulated by those with very strong minds. Everything and every_one _within its boundaries are subject to the demands, desires, and whims of the one controlling it. This was the most recent."

Ichigo spoke up then with curiosity. "How many are there?"

"There were six prior to this one." Urahara provided.

"Were? So the others were destroyed then? By Soul Society?" Ichigo pressed.

"No." Something in the way that Urahara had said that turned Ichigo's inside's cold. "They fell apart." He continued before they could ask the next proposed thought. "The territories collapsed when their creator subjected innocent human minds to them. Those humans of course were destroyed along with the territories."

Ichigo rose slowly and spoke in a deceitfully calm, low voice. "There's no fucking way I'll take Inoue to a place that fucking eats people." The slow boiling rage that lay under his tone caused Orihime to jump a bit in her seat. She stared at him worriedly.

"Nor would I allow you to Kurosaki-san." The older man raised his hands in a complacent gesture. "Please sit and allow me to explain."

"I've heard enough. Come on Inoue." Ichigo grabbed for her arm to drag her out with him but she pulled away.

"No." She said firmly. Her resolve wavered for a moment when the heat of his gaze finally landed on her. Swallowing, she reaffirmed herself in a quavering voice. "I want to hear what he has to say."

For a moment, their eyes held. Ichigo was the first to turn; needing to hide his blush at how affected he was by her innocence. He couldn't refuse her anything. Especially not when she had that look of determination.

Orihime stared after her crush for a moment longer then turned to the older man again and nodded for him to continue.

"Thank you Orihime-chan." He smiled and started up again. "Now where was I? Oh yes!" The smugness on his face was palpable as he redirected the conversation.

_Tch, You knew exactly where you were, you bastard _Ichigo thought bitterly. He sat back down and again placed his arms across his chest.

"I've been working on this particular one now for over three months and I've stabilized it so that the realm can mostly sustain itself and not be too drastically swayed by the erratic patterns of human thoughts." He backtracked to clarify himself for a moment. "You see, originally there shift realms were directly manipulated by the thoughts of individuals who entered the realm. As you may know, thoughts are instantaneous and often overlapping. At one moment you may be solving a math problem, while the next second you could very well be pondering what you will have for lunch or just happen to notice how nice the weather outside is. Meanwhile, you are simultaneously, though subconsciously, ordering your body to breathe, digest, regulate blood pressure and a thousand other little things."

The two teens nodded at his explanation.

"Being dictated by thought, these millions of mental considerations caused the realms to quite literally explode the moment a human set foot into them."

"Woah." Orihime whispered in awe.

"Not woah. Fuck!" Said Ichigo angrily. "How's that supposed to be reassuring?"

"Luckily for you, the creator of this territory began to realize his mistake and tweaked it so that the area is not devoted to thoughts alone." Urahara said evenly. "However, he could not manage to bend the shift realm to his liking so he abandoned this one and began work on another."

"So now what?" Asked Orihime.

"I have done some research and a bit of work on the realm myself, and I am proud to say that I have solved the issue." He paused a moment to let the gravity of his words sink in. "The territory is now stable enough to not be swayed by simple human thoughts. Altering the realm now requires maintained concentration and a strong will. This in and of itself may be difficult but I believe for you, Orihime-chan, such a feat may be quite accomplishable."

"Me?"  
"Inoue?"

The two had expressed their disbelief in unison.

"No, no. Kurosaki-kun's will is much greater than mine." She spoke with a flushed countenance while waving her small hands in front of her.

"Possibly." The shopkeep seemed to roll the word around, silently contemplating various outcomes. "However, he doesn't have nearly as unique a mind as you Orihime-chan."

"There's no way I'll let Inoue in there. What if she can't control it? She could die, couldn't she?"

"No. Like I said, I have stabilized the realm. It will be difficult to manipulate, and if she does accomplish it then there will be no risks to her. It will only modify the environment or possibly the two of you temporarily. Once you exit, however, any changes to yourselves will be reversed."

The youths sat silently letting the situation wash over them like the tide.

"So what is the point of all this then?" Orihime spoke up determinedly. "Why are we even doing this?"

"It's simple." Urahara responded nonchalantly. His trademark cheer back upon his face. "So that you can learn to beat him at his own game."

BREAK

**Drop me a line when you get the chance.**

**Best,**

**Aijou**


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